Rain covering for legs



June 16, 1964 J. H. BOYD RAIN COVERING FOR LEGS Filed Dec. 20. 1961 JohnH. Boyd IN VENTOR w mq United States Patent 3,137,081 RAIN COVERING FORLEGS John H. Boyd, R0. Box 218, Summit, Miss. Filed Dec. 20, 1961, Ser.No. 160,777 2 Claims. (Cl. 362) This invention comprises a novel anduseful rain covering for legs and more particularly pertains to aprotective leg covering having an improved construction for facilitatingthe application of the same to the trouser leg for protecting thetrouser leg from the Weather.

It is frequently advantageous to provide a protective covering for thetrouser legs of persons to prevent the trousers from becoming soakedfrom rain, snow or the like during inclement weather and bad weatherconditions. A protective device for the trouser legs is particularlyuseful even when the person is wearing a raincoat or the like, since theblowing of wind frequently exposes the trouser legs almost invariablyresulting in an undesired soaking of the latter even though the rest ofthe body is protected by a raincoat and the like.

It is. therfore a primary purpose of this inventionto provide a legprotective device which will overcome the aforementioned difiiculty andwill provide adequate protection for the legs and the trouser legs ofthe wearer against precipitation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a protective legcovering in accordance with the preceding ob- 'ject which shall be of asimple inexpensive and lightweight construction enabling it to be foldedand stored in a very small space as, for example, in a pocket or thelike, and which will fully and effectively cover the trouser legs of theuser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rain covering for legsconsisting or a sleeve-like garment which may be individually andremovably secured to the leg and the trouser leg of the user when itsservices are required.

A still further object of the invention is to provide of the protectorsto the trouser leg or the removal therefrom.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a protective device ofthe character above set forth which may be constructed of a relativelyinexpensive material so that the same may be readily discarded after oneor more periods of use, if desired.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a deviceas set forth in the foregoing objects which shall consist of a singlesleeve for each trouser leg, each sleeve comprising a single sheet of apliable water impervious material and of such shape as to conform to theshape of the trouser leg and leg of the user, the sleeve having arelatively short inside edge of a length suflicient to extend from theankle to the crotch of the userand an outside edge relatively longerextending from the ankle to the hip of the user.

And a final important object of the invention to be specificallyenumerated resides in the provision of a protective leg covering inaccordance with the above-mentioned objects which shall include animproved fastening means whereby a fastening hook receivable in thetrouser pocket of the user may be secured in vertically adjustedposition to the upper and outer edge of the protective article in aprotected and concealed manner thereon.

These together with other objects and advantages which panying drawingforming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like partsthroughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view illustrating the manner in which a pairof the trouser leg protective coverings of this invention are applied tothe trouser legs of the FIGURE 2 is a plan view of one of the trouserleg guards in accordance with this invention shown in its openedposition;

FIGURE 3 is a detail view in vertical section through a portion of theprotective leg covering of this invention and illustrating in particularthe manner in which a fastening means is adjustably connected to theprotective covering and is secured in the trouser pocket of the user;

FIGURE 4 is a view in horizontal section illustrating the manner inwhich the opposite marginal side edges of the unitary sheet forming aprotective leg covering is detachably connected together to form aprotective sleeve for the trouser leg; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the hook element constitutinga part ofthe fastener construction for supporting the device in use by thewearer.

The protective leg covering forming the subject matter of this inventionis indicated generally by the numeral 10,

it being shown in FIGURE 1 as being secured in proper operative positionupon the trouser legs of the user.

Each of these leg protective devices consists of a sleeve which is soproportioned in shape and size as to conform to the contour of the legand thigh of the user and to refiectively but comfortably enclose thelegs and the trouser legsof the user without interference with walkingwhile conferring the maximum of protection to the surface of the trouserlegs.

Each of the leg protectors 10 consists of a pliable sheet 12 of anysuitable material of a water impervious nature. Inasmuch as numerousmaterials are available possessing to .various degrees the requisitecharacteristics of plia bility, light weight, imperviousness to waterand varying capacities of strength, further reference thereto for thepurposes of this invention is deemed to be unnecessary.

It will be readily understood that a material will be se-I lected whichwill conform most perfectly to the particular type of use to which thisarticle is to be placed including the use of the article'as a relativelyshort lived or disposable item as well as other uses in which thearticle is of a relatively long and indefinite period of use.

The sheet 12 is preferably bounded by straight edges such as a bottomedge 14, a pair of marginal side edges 16 and 18 together with a pair oftop edges 20 and 22. As will be observed from FIGURE 2, in order toprovide the desired form-fitting characteristics of the article, the twomarginal side edges 16 and 18 extend from the opposite ends of thebottom edge 14 in an upward and outwardly divergent manner, while thetop edges 20 and 22 are upwardly inclined from their lower outer endswhere they are connected to the marginal side edges to their convergenceat a location 24 which is preferably located upon the medial axis ormedial portion of the sheet. It will thus be observed that the sheet issymmetrical in configuration about its medial longitudinal axis.

As suggested best in FIGURE 4, the marginal side edges 16 and 18 arepreferably folded inwardly upon themselves to provide a double thicknessof material for purposes of greater strength, and a conventional type rof cooperating fastener elements as at 30 and 32 are secured to theseside edges for detachable engagement with each other. The arrangement issuch that when the two marginal side edges are folded upon each otherand snap fasteners are secured together there results a sleeve 10. Thesleeve may be either first closed and then Patented June 16, 1964screwed upwardly upon theleg of the wearer or may be closed by beingfolded about the leg of the wearer and with fasteners then being securedtogether.

In either event, the upward divergence and the length of the side edgesis such that in the closedposition of the sleeve, the joined marginalside edges will be disposed at the inside of the leg of the user andwill be of sufficient length to extend from the ankle to the crotch ofthe trousers of the wearer. Similarly, the medial axis about which thetwo side portions of the sheet are folded during the closing and joiningof the marginal edges is disposed at the outside of the leg and extendsperpendicularly from the ankle to slightly above the hip of the user. Asshown in FIGURE 1, the top edges 20 and 22 thus slope downwardly acrossthe front and the back of the torso to efiect a substantially completecoverage of the leg portion of the trousers of the wearer.

The fastening means by which the article is removably and adjustablysecured to the trousers ofthe wearer pref erably consists of an S-shapedhook such as that shown at 40 in FIGURE and which is adjustably securedto the leg protector at the upper end of the medial portion thereof andis secured into the edge of a pocket 42, see FIGURE 3, of the trousers44 of the user. This fastening hook'is attached to the leg protector 10in such a manner that its hooked extremity is received within thematerial of the protector in a concealed manner.

With continuing reference to FIGURE 3 it will be observed that themedial portion of the sheet has a loop 46 secured thereto providing apull cord by means of which the upper end of the protector may begripped and pulled up upon the trouser leg of the wearer. A tab 48 issecured in any suitable manner to the inside surface of the sheet beltagain at'the medial axis of the same so as to provide a pocket 50 betwenthis tab and the inside surface of the sheet. This pocket is providedwith a plurality of openings 52 which may cvonveniently be in the formof slots or the like and which are disposed in vertically spacedrelation to enable the lower hook portion of the fastener 40 to beinserted adjustably therethrough into the pocket and thus support theupper edge of the sleeve in position upon the user.

With this construction it is obvious that a relatively few standardizedsizes of the leg protectors may be utilized to answer the needs forprotecting a wide variety'of sizes of trouser legs.

The-foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, itisnot desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction and operation shown and described,and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of'the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A protective leg covering comprising a unitary sheet of pliable waterimpervious material, said sheet having marginal side edges provided withcooperating fastening a leg, fastening means adjustably secured to theupper edge of said sheet for attaching the latter to the clothing of thewearer, said sheet having a bottom edge and at its top a pair of topedges which are inclined upwardly from said side edges and convergealong a medial axis of said sheet, said marginal side edges beingrelatively inclined toward each other from their top to their bottom, atab secured to the sheet at the upper end of said medial axis to formwith said sheet an enclosed pocket therebetween, said tab. having aplurality of vertically spaced openings therethrough communicating withthe interior of the pocket, said fastening means consisting ofa'substantially S-shaped hook having-one end thereof releasablyengageable withinithe pocketof a trousers and the other end selectivelyengageable within one of the plurality of holes.

2. A protective leg covering for trousers comprising 20 asleeveconforming to the shape of and adapted to protectively enclose a trouserleg, said sleeve consisting of a unitary sheet of a pliable, waterimpervious material having a relatively long medial portion andrelatively shorter marginal side edges, fastener elements releasablysecuring said side edges along the full length thereof to form saidsleeve, the joined side edges being positionable at the inside of thetrouser leg and of sufficient length to extend from the ankle to thecrotch of the trouser leg, said medial portion being positionable at theoutside of the trouser leg and being of sufiicient length to extend fromthe ankle to the hip of the trouser'leg, a tab secured to the interiorof said'sleeve at the upper end releasably of said medial portion toform with the latter an enclosed pocket therebetween, said tab havingplurality of vertically spaced being concealed within the sleeve pocket.

References Eited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,346,448 Ewing July 13, 1920' 1,470,511 Topfner Oct. 9, 1923 1,537,845McElwee May 12, 1925 2,416,556 Weeks Feb. 25, 1947 2,483,136 Hamman etal Sept. 27, 1949 2,549,210 Krell Apr. 17, 1951 2,617,413 Bellmap Nov.11, 1952 2,720,040 Rogers Oct. 11, 1955 3,052,994. Johnston Sept. 11,1962 3,076,463 Vorsteher Feb. 5, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,078,577 FranceMay 12, 1954 370,341 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1932 468,957 Great BritainJuly 15, 1937 433,388 Italy Apr. 7, 1948

1. A PROTECTIVE LEG COVERING COMPRISING A UNITARY SHEET OF PLIABLE WATERIMPERVIOUS MATERIAL, SAID SHEET HAVING MARGINAL SIDE EDGES PROVIDED WITHCOOPERATING FASTENING ELEMENTS ALONG THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF FORRELEASABLY SECURING SAID SIDE EDGES TOGETHER WHEN SAID SHEET ENCIRCLES ALEG, FASTENING MEANS ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID SHEETFOR ATTACHING THE LATTER TO THE CLOTHING OF THE WEARER, SAID SHEETHAVING A BOTTOM EDGE AND AT ITS TOP A PAIR OF TOP EDGES WHICH AREINCLINED UPWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE EDGES AND CONVERGE ALONG A MEDIAL AXISOF SAID SHEET, SAID MARGINAL SIDE EDGES BEING RELATIVELY INCLINED TOWARDEACH OTHER FROM THEIR TOP TO THEIR BOTTOM, A TAB SECURED TO THE SHEET ATTHE UPPER END OF SAID MEDIAL AXIS TO FORM WITH SAID SHEET AN ENCLOSEDPOCKET THEREBETWEEN SAID TAB HAVING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACEDOPENINGS THERETHROUGH COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE POCKET,SAID FASTENING MEANS CONSISTING OF A SUBSTANTIALLY S-SHAPED HOOK HAVINGONE END THEREOF RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITHIN THE POCKET OF A TROUSERSAND THE OTHER END SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITHIN ONE OF THE PLURALITY OFHOLES.